Nameless No More
by airj999
Summary: (Nameless Grunt continued) After 18 painful years, May has finally escaped the life of a criminal, and found the friends and family she has been missing her entire life. With Brendan at her side, fortune is finally smiling upon her. However, times of peace never last. When the threat of Hoenn's villainous teams rise again, how will May face the demons of her past?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Hey Fanfiction, airj here. T** **his fanfic isn't exactly a normal story. Rather, it is a continuation of one of the best Fanfictions I've ever read, called _Nameless Grunt,_ by an author known as hopefullynotgone. It's a story about May as Archie's daughter, how she escapes Team Aqua, meets Brendan, and embarks on an adventure with him. It is an emotionally gripping, tightly written, and perfectly executed story and I can't recommend it enough. I don't want to spoil it, so if you want to read it, here is what you should do:**

 **1) Search up my username "AIRJ999" on Google. Simply copy and paste that name into the search bar.  
**

 **2) My Reddit account should be the first link that pops up. Click on it, and you should be seeing my page.**

 **3) I have only one post on that account. That post contains a Google Docs link to the story. Click on it and enjoy.  
**

 ** **The original author unfortunately deleted _Nameless Grunt_. so there's no other way to view it that I know of. ** The document is public to everybody, but I have disabled any way to copy or share that file because the story is not mine. Make sure you read that first before reading this story, because some things in this story might not make sense without reading the prequel.  
**

 **With that out of the way,**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter I

 ** _***MAKE SURE TO READ A/N ABOVE***_**

 _Steven_

Beads of sweat popped up in May's palms. Her face felt red-hot. Her knees shook. She was certain that a moment ago she could speak in complete sentences. But as she opened up her mouth in an attempt to greet the man walking towards her, not a sound came out. Apparently, even her vocal cords were frozen with awe by Steven's magnificence.

Standing beside her and leaning against the railing, Brendan also saw Steven approaching. He rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance as he noticed May's reaction towards his rival. _Of course he has to show up now. Dammit. Alright then. I have act cool. Can't make myself look stupid._ He thought to himself. He took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

"Steven." Brendan said, while shaking his hand firmly.

Steven nodded. "Good to see you, Brendan" He replied casually. Then, Steven's gaze focused on May. He walked past Brendan, grabbed her hand softly, and lightly planted a kiss on it.

"And hello to you, May. I certainly did not expect us to see each other again at Norman's birthday party. I mean, no offense, but how were you able to get here?" Steven inquired.

"H-hey Steven." May managed. "I came here with Brendan. He and his family were kind enough to invite me., so I-I'm joining them as a friend."

After hearing this, Steven shot a glance at Brendan, who returned his gaze with a questioning look. He then turned back to May.

"That's...nice, I guess." Steven said. His mouth then formed into a wide smile. "May, I just had to come over and say this, you look like a goddess in that dress. It's as if it was tailored specifically for you to wear."

"Thanks! I think you..umm...look great yourself, I guess." May felt her face growing red once more. _Real smooth, May._ _Damn it, why does he have to be so beautiful?_

Steven's mouth curled into a grin. "I appreciate it." He replied coolly.

"So, Steven, any good challengers lately?" Brendan asked abruptly. He stepped next to May, almost in a protective manner. He could see the way Steven looked at May, so he was anxious to get his attention off of her, and vice versa.

Steven turned his attention to him. "Not really, because most of them didn't prepare many healing items. They did beat the E4, so obviously they're excellent trainers, but by the time they faced me, their Pokemon were exhausted."

"Really?" Brendan smirked. "So I guess I'm still your most powerful challenger, huh?"

"Actually, wait, I just remembered something." Steven said. "There _was_ one trainer who pushed me to the brink. Took me all the way down to my Metagross."

Brendan's brows furrowed. "What was his team looking like?"

"His first four Pokemon were Heracross, Snorlax, Charizard, and Sceptile. They were all powerful, and extremely well trained." Steven replied. " However, his ace Pokemon were a Pikachu, and a Greninja. And his Greninja was unlike any Greninja I had ever seen before."

Brendan's eyes widened in curiosity "How?"

"Somehow, it had the ability to multiply its power, speed, and durability by transforming. I have never heard of something like this happening. I initially thought it was a Mega Evolution, but we have never discovered a Mega Stone for Greninja, nor did that trainer have a Mega Stone or ring." Steven said, sounding deep in thought. "Plus, I'm not sure how to describe this, but when that Greninja transformed, it somehow...resembled its trainer. I don't know how to describe it. I'll show you the video recording on my PokeNav when I get the chance."

Brendan nodded. A _Pokemon that can transform without a Mega Stone?_ He pondered. _That's...extremely odd. And a Pikachu as his ace? I thought most trainers evolve their Pikachu into a Raichu the first chance they get. Not even Pikachu, but just any stone evolution. Huh. I wonder how I would fare against that trainer. Though if he almost beat Steven, it's going to be extremely hard for me to pull off a win._

"So, May." Steven started, turning his attention back to May, who had just been silently listening to the two of them discuss. "I was just wondering if—"

"STEVEN!" A voiced boomed. All three of them jumped. May turned around to see a middle-aged man walking towards them. He bore a striking resemblance to Steven, and he even had the same silvery hair.

"Are you just going to stand here, and socialize all day? We have people here that want to see you! Come on!"

"W-What?! Who?" Steven said. "Can't it wait? I'm busy right now!"

"NO!" The man yelled. "These people traveled all the way from across the region just to meet the Champion. It will be a horrible look for both of us to just ignore them. Now come on!"

Steven cursed underneath his breath. "Alright, I'm coming!" He yelled back. He then lowered his voice to a whisper. "Sorry, May, Brendan, I gotta to go now. I'll see guys later."

Then he was gone.

"Who was that?" May asked.

"Mr. Stone. He's the president of Devon Corporation. His company manufactures technology such as the PokeNav." Brendan replied. "He also happens to be Steven's dad, by the way."

 _Steven's dad is the President of Devon? That sure explains a lot._ May thought. She swept her gaze over to the stairway, where more VIP guests were entering the balcony. She saw an old, pot-bellied man with frizzy hair and a light gray beard laughing with a drink in his hand. He was dressed in a dark suit with a yellow tie. A Manectric sat next to him, sniffing his shoes. _That must be Wattson_. _I remember Brendan talking about him back at the Center._ May remembered. She then glanced at a tall, skinny man standing off to the side, chatting with her mother and Norman. He wore a white suit, with purple pants, and a turquoise colored tie. It was one of the most bizarre color combinations she had ever seen. _Is that a gym leader or an elite four? I don't think I've ever seen him before._

Suddenly, May noticed a young woman walking towards Brendan. She had long, lush gray hair that reached down to her waist, as well as big, soft, beautiful purple eyes. She was clad in a short cyan lace dress that fit her hourglass figure perfectly. Silver earrings hung from her ears. Her gaze was intense, yet serene. Watching her, May felt herself growing jealous. She was gorgeous.

Next to May, Brendan had also noticed the woman. He walked forward to greet her, a shy smile on his face.

"Hey, Winona." Brendan said, as she pulled him in for a hug. As he looked at her, he found himself awestruck at her beauty. "Y-you look...so great today" He stuttered.

"Wow Bren, are trying to tell me I don't normally look amazing?" Winona asked teasingly, still hugging him.

"N-no! That's not what I meant, I-"

She cut him off with a laugh. "I'm just playing with you Bren. You look fantastic as well. You've gotten a bit taller since I last saw you. And bigger." She added with a smile, while tapping his shoulders. Brendan felt his face heating up like a microwave.

Then, Winona peered over Brendan's shoulder and noticed May standing behind him. She stepped away from Brendan, while her expression changed to one of caution. "And who's this with you, Brendan?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Oh uh, that's May." Brendan replied quickly. "May, this is Winona. She's the gym leader of Fortree City, which is the flying-type gym."

May waved awkwardly. "Hi, Winona, it's nice to meet you. Brendan's told me about you before."

"Has he now?" Winona grinned slyly. "Did he tell you about the time I defeated all 6 of his Pokemon with just my Altaria?"

"Hey come on, that doesn't count, I had just done like 20 straight battles on Route 119! My Pokemon were all like on 1 HP!" Brendan protested childishly, while Winona and May giggled at his flustered expression.

"Anyways, it's nice to meet you too." Winona said, turning her attention back to May. "Forgive me, May, but I've never seen you at these events before, so I was wondering, are you related to any of the leaders, or…?"

"Oh, I'm Norman's niece. I'm living with them now, because my mother recently passed away." May replied. All of a sudden, Winona's cheerful expression disappeared, replaced by one of sadness and sympathy.

"Ohhh..I'm so sorry to hear that, May. I can't imagine bearing the pain of losing any family member, much less a mother." She replied.

May faked a sad smile. "Thank you. I was really close to Norman's family anyway, so they helped me deal with the pain of losing her. I owe them a lot, for taking me in, and basically accepting me as one of their own."

Winona nodded slowly in understanding, then turned her head away. For about a moment, the three of them stood there near the balcony in awkward silence, gazing at the invited guests filing in to the building's lower level. Most of them were chattering noisily among themselves and taking pictures of the fancy walls. Off to side, May spotted Steven surrounded by a large group of people holding out notebooks, clothing, even Pokeballs for him to autograph. Next to him, with her arm wrapped on his shoulder stood a tall, curvy woman with fiery red hair. _Who's that?_ May wondered.

"So, Winona," Brendan said, breaking the silence, and snapping May out of her thoughts. "Who are you going with later to the slow dance today? Is it still going to be Brawly like last year?"

Winona turned in his direction, and chuckled slightly. "Oh, no, Bren. I think I'll pass this time. But you did just reminded me, I had someone else in mind, who I wanted to dance with, so that's why I'm here."

May gasped silently, and felt her face growing pale, as it slowly dawned on her what Winona meant. Her thoughts raced through her mind. _No...i-is she asking him...b-but I wanted to be his partner tonight...please...no, this can't...  
_

Brendan, on the other hand, cocked his head in slight confusion. "Ummm...what do you mean by that?" He said.

"I wanted to ask you, Bren." Suddenly, Winona's face tinged red. Her voice shook. "W-would you agree to dance with me later?"

* * *

 **A/N: A short chapter to start of the story. Will Brendan accept Winona's request? Tune in next time!**

 ** **For those who've followed/favorited/reviewed previous story, I want to apologize for abruptly deleting it. Looking back, I probably should've announced it, through an extra chapter or something. I don't really have a specific reason for deleting it, I just felt like some chapters were not as well-written as they could've been, and when I reread the story after a few weeks, I didn't enjoy reading it at all. I think it was because initially I took way too little time to write a chapter. Basically I'd just write up a rough draft, and submit it as a new chapter, instead of editing and refining it. So that's why I came back with a rewrite. The overall plot will remain relatively the same, but there will be some changes to the story.****

 **Please be sure to review.** **Any feedback is welcome, because I want to know how I can improve my writing skills. Peace.**

 **-airj**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: What's up guys, I'm back with Chapter 2. Will Brendan say yes to Winona, and leave May brokenhearted? Read on to find out!  
As always, be sure to read the prequel to this story, _Nameless Grunt_. You can refer to the A/N in Chapter 1 to do so. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter II

"Uh...um," Brendan felt sweat forming on his forehead. His pulse quickened. A million thoughts raced through his mind, like shooting stars. _Is-is she really asking me for a dance? I always thought that she never had any interest towards me. I did tell her she looked amazing tonight, and I meant it, but I was already planning to ask , how can I just reject her like that? Will she hate me? I don't want to somehow ruin our relationship..._ He glanced sideways at May, who quickly turned away, but not before Brendan noticed the pain in her expression, and how her body had tensed up.

"Um...Bren? D-did you hear me?" Winona asked

"Well..." Brendan started. _Fuck_ _it, just tell her. Get it over with. If I say yes, and I see May dancing with Steven later, I know I'm going to hate myself for it._ "Winona, I really appreciate the offer. I would love to, but I was already planning on asking somebody else to dance with, so, um, yeah..." he trailed off, unable to find the words to finish. Subtly, so that Winona wouldn't notice easily, His eyes drifted again to May as he spoke, who stared back at him wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief and relief, as it dawned on her just who he was referring to.

On the contrary, Winona looked crushed. She lowered her head slightly, and bit her lip. Brendan could see that she was trying to fight back tears. Evidently, she had not expected this response from him. "Oh...but I thought that you...never mind, I'm sorry, it's just that-" She stammered.

Before she could finish, Brendan pulled her in for another embrace. "Winona, it's not about you. If it was any other day, I'd say yes. I'm really sorry. M-maybe we can hang out after the party is over, ok? Meet me at the exit, and I'll take you to the PokeCafe next to the Petalburg gym. I promise you." Brendan whispered.

Winona smiled, although the sadness was still extremely visible on her face."A-alright, that would be great. I should probably get going now, my parents are probably going to wonder why I'm gone. I'll see you guys later. You better not forget, Bren."

She turned around, and as Brendan watched her walked away towards her family, a tidal wave of guilt washed over him. This was a feeling he wanted to experience in the midst of a festive occasion. _Man, I-I really hurt her bad. I feel like such an asshole right now. I mean, I didn't have a choice, but still, I feel so bad about saying no. I wish I had known she wanted to ask me earlier, so I could've responded without making her feel so sad._ He stared at the ground, letting out a deep sigh and staring into the distance. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned around to see May's big sapphire eyes staring straight into his own auburn eyes. She threw her arms around his neck, pulled him into her warm embrace, and all of the negativity that Brendan was feeling dissolved. He tightly hugged her back, and the two of them stayed in the same position for about a minute, enjoying the familiarity and comfort of each other's bodies, before May slightly pulled her head back. The distance between their lips was painfully close.

"Brendan..." May said, her voice barely audible. Her mouth curled into a wide, genuine smile.

Brendan grinned back awkwardly. "Uh,so, later on, do you want to—mmm"

May leaned in, cutting him off. Heat surged through her body as their lips met once again. _My god, it's only been a few days, yet I've missed just how great...how_ right _this feels._ She thought. She deepened the kiss, pushing her breasts against Brendan's chest, and he put his hand on her hips to pull her in closer. Eventually, they both released the kiss to breathe and continued to stay in each other's embrace, smiling goofily at each other, oblivious to the world around them.

"Of course, Brendan," May whispered in his ear. "I wouldn't want to be with anyone else." Brendan's eyes lit up as he heard this, and he tilted his head forward to close the gap between their lips once more. _You're truly the best thing that has ever happened to me_ _._ May thought as they continued to kiss. Even when they stopped for air, they continued to hug each other, feeling the warmth of each other's bodies.

"BRENDAN!" A loud, high pitch voice called, startling the couple. Brendan whipped his head to see his mother making a beeline for him. "Dinner's almost ready. So it's time for you to—" Then, her eyes widened as she saw how close the two of them were to each, and her mouth opened wide in shock. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't realize I was interrupting something. I'll just go back and tell the others the two of you are spending some quality time together. Bye!"

"No! Wait! Mom! Don't say anything!" Brendan yelled frantically. He released May, and sprinted in the direction of his mother. May giggled, and raced followed him to the dining tables.

o - o - o - o - o

"Hey Brendan," Max snickered. "Wanna hear a joke? Why did the Miltank cross the road?"

Brendan sighed, and cut his lamb chops with his knife. "Enlighten me, Max." He replied. He was sitting in a small dining table, with Max, Wally, Roxanne, and Tate & Liza—the leaders of the 7th gym. To the left of Brendan's table sat the Hoenn Elite 4 and their invited guests, while Norman, Caroline, Abby, Birch, and their closest relative/friends sat in a much bigger dining table next to team, talking loudly and laughing. Brendan had wanted May to sit with him, but Abby had insisted that she wanted to introduce May to her friends, so May had to sit at their table.

"To get to the _udder_ side! Get it? _Udder_? Like _other_? HAHAH! HA!" Max exclaimed, then proceed to double over laughing. Nobody else joined him.

Brendan turned his head and looked at Wally in exasperation, who stared right back at him with the same expression on his face. They held each other's gaze for a moment, contemplating if there was anything worse than the joke Max had just told, before they resumed eating their meals. Brendan wolfed down the last of his chops, drank the rest of his drink, and finished his appetizers. Then, to kill time, he took out his PokePhone, and began searching the internet for information about the transforming Greninja Steven had mentioned, but he could not find any cases of it. _Must be a really recent discovery then_ , he thought to himself. He was about to turn off his phone, when it dinged and a text message flashed across the screen:

 ** _Meet me in the outside balcony labeled 'Balcony A'. There's something I gotta talk to you about -Steven_**

 _Steven? Why's he texting me now?_ Brendan wondered.

"What's going on?" A voice said out of the blue, startling Brendan. He turned his head to see Wally leaning over his shoulder in an attempt to read the message, so Brendan held his phone up for him to see, while motioning for him to lower his voice.

"Steven? What does he want to talk about right now?" Wally whispered.

Brendan shook his head. "No clue, man. I'll just tell him to wait a bit."

"Well, I think you should probably meet up with him now. I mean, if he wants to talk in private, it's gotta be something important."

Brendan thought for a while, then nodded. "Welp, I guess you're right. I'll go right now. Don't tell anybody else, especially Max. Last thing I need is for him to tag along."

"I gotchu. See you later."

o - o - o - o - o

Brendan approached the doors to the outdoors balcony, and pushed it open, feeling the wind on his face. The sky was a peaceful, sunset orange color, and he could hear Noctowl and Hoothoot hooting in the distance. Brendan stepped onto the wooden balcony floor, gazing around until he heard a whistle and saw Steven reclining on one of the cushioned chairs in the balcony. Brendan walked over to him, the wood creaking beneath his feet, and sat down in a chair opposite of Steven's. He observed how Steven was sitting, and could tell that despite his relaxed position, his body was tense. He seemed to be nervous about something. _But what?_ Brendan wondered.

"Brendan, while you're here, you gotta check out this view." Steven asked, breaking the silence.

Brendan turned around, and his eyes were stunned by what he saw. From his vantage point, he could see lush green trees, tall grass, a sandy beach, and a house with a port next to hit, which had a boat docked there. The moment he saw that boat, he realized he had been to that area before. It was...

"Route 104?" Brendan wondered.

"Yeah. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

 _Arceus...I remember this_ place. Brendan said. Memories of his experiences as a rookie trainer rushed back into his head. He remembered his intense battles with all the trainers on the route, the day he and Mr. Briney set sail for Dewford Town, and most of all, when he and Treecko had trained for hours and hours in the tall grass until it eventually evolved into a Grovyle. _Dang, the nostalgia is real. How long has it been since I walked on Route 104? Are the trainers I battled are still there_? He wondered."It's amazing." Brendan said. With difficulty, he turned back to Steven. "But I highly doubt this is the reason you texted me. What's going on? Something happen with Team Aqua or Magma?"

Steven chuckled. "Straight to the point, eh? Fine." He cleared his throat, before continuing. "Well it's nothing serious. Nothing world-threatening, at least. I texted you because I wanted to ask you something. It's about May."

A moment of silence passed, as Brendan was momentarily paralyzed by surprise. _May?_ _Is he talking about_ our _May? Where could he...why is he asking me about her?_ "Um...okay, what about her? And why exactly are you asking me in private?" Brendan asked slowly, caution evident in his voice.

"It's because you know her better than anyone here. Isn't it obvious? So anyways, I want to ask May to dance with me later on. She looks absolutely gorgeous in that dress, and I just can't stop thinking about her." Steven adjusted his position, and sat straight up. "I want to be courteous, so right now I'm thinking of flying on Skarmory to the Pokemart, and buying her a gift before I ask. That's why I was wondering if you would know what she'd prefer, like a box of chocolates, or some flowers, you know, that kind of stuff."

As Brendan registered what Steven was asking and what his intent was, suddenly a lot of things made sense for him. _No wonder_ _he wanted to discuss in private. Guess he doesn't want to have anyone gossiping._ _That's also probably what he wanted to ask May before his dad interrupted us_. _Well, how do I go about telling him? Should I just_ —He shook his head. _Alright, y_ _ou know what, I'm just going to break it to him. May would do the same thing if she was put in my position._ He took a deep breath, collected his thoughts, and stared down at the wooden floor before responding to Steven. "Well, I'd help you if I could, but I don't think that's something you should be concerning yourself about."

Steven frowned, his face a mixture of confusion and worry. "What do you mean by that? Why?" He asked intently.

Brendan raised his head, and met Steven's silver gaze with his own. "I already asked."

* * *

 **A/N: I bet Steven wasn't expecting that response. How is he going to react to Brendan and May? Stay tuned! Thank you so much for reading, and as always be sure to review.  
** **Also, I just want to say, this is a Brendan x May fanfiction. Not Brendan x Winona, or May x Steven, or something else. So if you ask me to pair Brendan and May with anybody else in the reviews, I'm sorry to say that I'm just going to disregard it. With that said, peace out!  
**

 **-airj**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi! It's airj here. How is Steven going to react to Brendan and May? Stay tuned!**

 **As always, if you guys have not read the prequel story, _Nameless Grunt_ , which this fanfiction is based off on, what are you waiting for? Check out Chapter 1's author's note for instructions on how to read it.  
**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter III

Brendan observed Steven's facial expression, as it fluctuated between confusion and annoyance. He said nothing, and it was a good few seconds before Steven responded.

"Hold on." Steven began, with a hint of caution in his tone. "Are you saying that...?" He trailed off.

"Yes, Steven, you heard me correctly." Brendan said. "Before dinner, I asked May to dance with me, and she said yes to it. So don't worry about having to buy her anything, unless you want to waste your time."

Steven's mouth opened with shock. Then, his eyebrows slanted and his forehead creased as his expression morphed to anger. Suddenly, the rage in his expression vanished, replaced by eyes staring at Brendan with the chill of frostbite.

Brendan tensed. Neither trainer spoke. The only audible noise was the rustling of Hoothoot and Noctowl in the distant trees. The wind blew, making their suit jackets flow. The orange glow of the sunset illuminated both trainers. The tension between them was so thick, it seemed to hold a physical presence. _I didn't think he'd be this pissed. What's he thinking right now?_ Brendan wondered.

Finally, Steven broke the silence. "Alright then. I guess I don't need you anymore. I'll be seeing you." He hoisted himself up, but before he could walk to the sliding door, Brendan stepped sideways, blocking him.

"You seem angry, Steven." Brendan said.

Steven met Brendan's stare with his own. "I don't know what you're talking about, Brendan. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a dinner to finish." Steven replied nonchalantly. He tried sidestepping around Brendan, but Brendan blocked his way again.

"Why are you like this? You seriously this emotional about me asking May to dance?" Brendan asked

Steven tilted his head. "Not mad, Brendan, just slightly disappointed. I guess I expected too much of May." He said slowly, letting the words sink in. "Guess I was wrong."

Behind his back, Brendan clenched his fists. "'Expected too much?' What are you trying to say, Steven?" He demanded.

"I'm not oblivious to the way May looks at me, Brendan. And I thought she would fancy having a great time with me at this party. I certainly was looking forward to that. But apparently not, she'd rather spend it with an incompetent trainer." Steven replied coldly."Oh well, so be it. I guess I shouldn't be seen with a convict anyway."

Blood roared in Brendan's ears. His eyes burned with intensity. His voice rose. _You...you conceited son of a—_ "So that's what it's about, huh Steven? A rich pretty-boy like you can't handle not getting whatever he wants, for one in his life. So you have to talk down on the people around you, just to make yourself feel better. Am I right?!"

Steven merely smirked in response. "You don't know anything about me, Brendan. Now, I have to go. I hope you two enjoy yourselves." He put his arm on Brendan's shoulder, trying to push him aside. But Brendan was much stronger, and he shoved his hand right into Steven's chest, causing his slim frame to stagger backwards a few feet and almost trip.

Steven's eyes widened in shock. "What's wrong with you?!" He demanded.

In response, Brendan drew a Pokeball. He pressed on the center button. causing the ball to expand to its max size. The red side of the ball gleamed in the orange light of the sunset. Steven's eyes widened in surprise.

"You think I'm incompetent. So, why don't you call me out on it, _Champion_?" Brendan said.

o - o - o - o - o

Back inside, everybody was chatting, playing instruments, or dining. Such was the case with Wally, who, despite his sickly frame, was a ferocious eater. He was currently stuffing his face with another bowl of fish kabobs, until he felt an arm poke his shoulder. Surprised, he turned around to see Tate and Liza—the leaders of Mossdeep gym—staring back at him.

Wally straightened up. "Oh, hey guys, what's up?"

"Hey Wally, sorry to disturb you but..." Tate started.

"We were wondering if you knew where Brendan..." Liza finished.

"Went! He's been gone for quite a while, and..."

"We wanted to challenge him to a rematch!"

"Um...ok." Wally replied, feeling slightly disoriented. _Jeez, their telekinesis freaks me out._ He thought. "Now that you mention it, he has been for quite some time. I'll go see if I can find him."

Wally stood up. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Actually, I haven't battled for a while now. Why don't I join your double battle? You guys against me and Brendan. Sound good?" He grinned. "My strongest Pokemon is also a Psychic-type, like yours."

Tate and Liza's faces lit up, and they responded emphatically and in unison. "Of course!"

o - o - o - o - o

"Just a one-on-one battle. Not a full six-on-six. We have plenty of time before the dance. What are you afraid of?" Brendan challenged.

Steven hesitated, curling his lip. But before he could speak, the doors flew open, and Wally burst in, his suit jacket flowing. "Brendan! There you are! Tate and Liza were wondering..." He trailed off as he saw the two men in front of him in a standoff, and his expression turned guarded."Umm...you guys okay? What's going on here?"

Neither trainer acknowledged his presence.

"You really want to do this, Brendan? I'm not going to let you bait me into a battle." Steven replied.

"Why do you keep refusing?" Brendan countered. "You think I'm an 'incompetent' trainer, right? What, are you scared that your fanclub is going to see you get whipped?"

Steven glanced at Wally next to him, then glared at Brendan. _Struck a nerve._ Brendan thought. If there was one thing Steven hated, it was getting his battle skills questioned. Especially by somebody he had beaten before.

"Fine, then. I'll make it quick, for your sake." Steven snarled, raising an Ultra Ball, which shone ominously in the light of the sunset. _That's_ _Metagross's ball_. Brendan realized. _He's serious about this. Fine. Then I'll use my strongest as well._

"Wait," Wally interjected, stepping over to Brendan's side. His voice rose with excitement. "Are you two actually going to have a battle? Right now? In the backyard?"

"Yeah, Wally. Soon." Brendan still felt tinges of anger, but he forced out a smile for his friend. "Steven and I are going to be tonight's first entertainment. Can you ask Norman if we can use the big field behind the building?"

"Of course!" Wally nearly jumped out of his suit. "THAT'S AWESOME! I'm going to tell everyone right now!" He shouted. Then, he raced back inside, leaving Steven and Brendan alone once again.

"10 minutes, Brendan. That's all I'll give you." Steven said. "Brace yourself."

* * *

 **A/N: And there's chapter 3! I know it's a bit shorter than usual, but I wanted to build up for a big chapter. Again, I'm sorry I took forever to update, just been way to busy with testing and homework and all that good stuff. Plus, this chapter was also pretty difficult to write. But now the action is getting started. Stay tuned for Brendan vs Steven!**

 **-airj**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Let me explain. First off, I am so, so sorry for my absence. School, testing, all of that got in the way. I'm ashamed to admit that I sort of forgot all about this story until I saw the trailer for Pokemon Sword and Shield, and then it suddenly rushed back into my head.**

 **Anyways, now that that's out of the way, we can get on with the story. How will Brendan react to his impending match with Steven? Read to find out!**

 **You know the drill. Make sure to check out the prequel story, _Nameless Grunt_. Instructions on how to access it is in the A/N of Chapter 1. Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter IV

Wally raced back inside with the speed of an Accelgor. So fast that when he reached Norman's table, he had to stop for a moment to catch his breath, holding on to the chair his mother sat on and panting loudly. As the people at the table noticed him, their conversations immediately stopped.

"Wally?" His mother asked. "What's the matter? Why were you running so fast?"

Despite his panting, Wally practically yelled. "Steven and Brendan are going to have a Pokemon battle!"

Everyone at the table stared at each other, bewildered by what they had just heard, and murmured amongst themselves. _A Pokemon battle? Now? Is he joking?_

Norman stood up, looking the most perplexed. "A battle? Are you serious, Wally? Why do they want to fight now?" He asked.

"Uhh...honestly, I'm not sure myself," Wally replied. "But who cares, this is going to be epic! Brendan wanted me to ask you if they can use the big field behind the building as their battleground. Can they?"

Norman hesitated for a moment, before responding. "Uh, Wally, I'm not really sure if it's the best idea to have a Pokemon battle right now. Couldn't they just battle tomorrow?"

"They can't, Steven's going to Ever Grande City after the party!" Wally exclaimed. "Please, Norman?"

"Yeah, come on, Norman!" A jovial voice shouted. Everybody turned to see Wattson, the leader of Mauville Gym. "This is great! I don't think anything's going to entertain us more than a Pokemon battle between the two strongest trainers I've ever battled! Wahahahaha!"

"Yeah, bro!" Sidney of the Elite 4 said, tapping Norman's arm. "This is gonna be the rematch of the century. I wanna see this, man!"

Norman stayed silent for a few seconds, then sighed. He stood up. "Fine. I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a good show during dinner. I'll go announce it to the guests. Just please tell them to restrain themselves, alright?."

"Yes! Norman, you're the best!" Wally said excitedly.

o - o - o - o - o

May stood in front of a fancy marble sink in the women's room, washing her hands and shaking her head in disbelief at how luxurious every in this building seemed, even the darn restrooms. The toilet seats were heated and had remote controls on the sides. The floor was made of glossy black marble. Hell, each bathroom stall was probably bigger than her quarters back at the Team Aqua Compound.

May put soap on her hands. Her thoughts wandered to her adventures with Brendan. She closed her eyes and smiled, feeling warm inside, as she remembered the time their flight on Salamence, him standing up for her in the hospital, and their first kiss in the fields of Volbeat and Illumise.

 _Life takes us places we couldn't dream of. I think life brought me to you for the same reason._ He had said, right before they touched lips.

May finished scrubbing, and reached for a towel to dry her hands. Then she looked at herself in the large bright mirror. The bruise on her forehead had essentially faded away, the discoloration returning to normal. May continued to look. Even now, she couldn't believe just how much the dress had changed her appearance. Her sapphire eyes shone, her hair looked luscious, her frame looked amazing. The girl in her reflection was a supermodel. May remembered how she would look in the mirror at her Team Aqua quarters every morning and see an ugly, broken girl staring back at her. How did she go from that, to this?

May put the towel back on the rack and exited the restrooms, slowly walking alongside the railing and observing the people on the bottom floor. Suddenly she saw Brendan, who exited the building through the rotating doors that led to the parking lot. Curious at what he was up to, May quickly headed the opposite way, rushing down the stairs and weaving around guests to get to the exit. Once outside, she snuck up behind Brendan, wrapped one hand around his waist, and put the other on his chest.

Brendan immediately stopped and turned around. As he saw May, his face lit up and he pulled her into a tight hug. May relaxed into his arms and put her head on his shoulder. The two of them stood there, relishing each other's company.

"Hey, May." Brendan whispered tenderly, kissing her forehead.

"Hey." May cooed, tracing his chest with her finger."Why are you outside?"

"Oh, uh, " Brendan rapidly thought of a reason. "Just...trying to clear my head, I guess"

May pulled her head away and looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. "For what?" She asked curiously.

"Uh, Steven and I are battling. " Brendan said quickly. "But we, um, we're just going to have a quick exhibition match, nothing special."

May tilted her head and stared right into Brendan's eyes. _He expects me to believe that?_ She wondered. "You're not telling me the whole story, Bren. Why would you have to 'clear your head' for an exhibition battle?"

Defeated, Brendan sighed. _She reads me like a book._ "Fine, I challenged Steven to a battle. A few minutes ago, we were hanging out on the balcony and we got into a big argument. I was pissed off, so I told him we would settle it over a battle."

 _A battle? Why? Is that how boys handle arguments?_ May wondered amusingly. "Over what?" She asked.

Suddenly, Brendan's expression darkened. His good mood at seeing May seem to vanish. He suddenly seemed very interested in his dress shoes. "Nothing important." He replied curtly.

May frowned. She wondered why the atmosphere around them had changed so suddenly. "What do you mean, 'nothing important'. Why can't I know?" She pressed.

"It's personal, okay?" Brendan was starting to look irritated. "It's just something that happens between friends all the time. And besides, it's not something you need to worry about."

May wouldn't give up. "Clearly, it's not just some regular argument if you're getting so worked up over it. Why can't you just tell me? I wanted to help!" She insisted.

"Like I said, it's none of your business, May!" Brendan snapped. "Just freaking forget it!"

May let go of him and staggered backwards in the face of his sudden outburst. Emotional pain shot through her body. "Fine, then. I'll..just...I won't bother you." She said, her voice cracking. Then she turned around and walked quickly towards the rotating doors, trying to regain her composure and keep herself from crying.

Immediately, the anger drained out of Brendan, replaced by pangs of guilt and shame. A sense of overpowering despair overcame him. He felt liked punching himself and tearing out his hair. _Shit, no, why did I take it out on her? None of it is her fault! Damn it, why do I keep screwing up?_ "May, May, please, wait!" He exclaimed.

Brendan scrambled after his friend and wrapped his arms around her. He then put his hand around the bend of her knees to carry her, almost in a bridal style way, to a bench on the side of the parking lot. He sat down, positioned May's legs on his lap, and rested her head against his shoulder. The whole time, May said nothing and displayed no signs of resistance. She just stared at Brendan with a mixture of anger and confusion in her pained sapphire eyes.

"May...I-" Brendan found it hard to speak, hard to look her in the eyes, but he willed himself to do so. "I'm so sorry I lost it. It's just...I remembered what we were arguing about and I couldn't control myself. I-I know that's not an excuse but I just want you to know, I didn't mean it, May. I swear." His voice shook.

As she heard him, May relaxed. Her sadness slowly dissipated. She was actually touched that Brendan had the courage to immediately apologize. She reached up her hand to cup his face."Bren, it's...it's okay. I understand. Don't worry about it. I'm sorry as well. I guess shouldn't have kept pressing you about something that doesn't have to do with me."

Brendan's face lit up with happiness and relief, and he touched his forehead to hers and gave her a soft, brief kiss on the lips. They smiled at one another, ignoring the stares of other people. Once again, warmth rushed through May's body and she giggled internally. _How could I ever stay mad at him?_

When Brendan pulled away, however, his expression turned serious. "May, I...lied. You-you do deserve to know. It does have to do with you."

May turned her head. May stared at him strangely. "What are you talking about?"

Brendan took a deep breath. He looked at his palms before finally responding. "Steven and I, we...were sort of arguing over you."

Silence. Brendan watched as May's face morphed from an expression of disbelief to pure shock.

"What?!" May exclaimed. "What are you saying?! How were you...?!"

Brendan took a deep breath. "Ok, lemme explain. While I was texted me to come out onto the balcony because he said wanted to talk to me about something. So I went. I thought he was going to talk to me about the villainous teams or Pokemon or something."

Brendan then paused. He seemed to be contemplating what he was saying next, causing May to grow impatient

"And?" She asked.

"Instead, he... asked me what kind of gift he should get you. He was planning on asking you to dance, and wanted to be a gentleman, I guess." He responded.

May's eyes widened. She could not quite believe what Brendan was telling her. A million questions raced through her mind, but when she opened her mouth all she could ask was "Why?"

Once again, Brendan hesitated, like he did not want to say anything more. "He-he told me you looked so beautiful in that dress that he couldn't stop thinking about you, even since he saw you." He finally forced out.

May's eyes widened. Excitement surged through her body. She felt hot. The most perfect, beautiful man she had ever seen in her life had called her beautiful and said he couldn't stop thinking about her. Was she really that type of woman? The type that could attract even men like Steven? May couldn't believe what she was hearing. She felt happy...no..exhilarated at what Brendan was saying.

Then May noticed Brendan's demeanor.

He was looking at the ground. His face was white. He had an expression on his face that she had never seen before. Not even when they were facing Team Aqua and the possibility of death. What was he…it hit her. Brendan was feeling a mixture of jealousy and anguish. It was the same thing she had felt when Winona had asked him to dance. Something clicked in May's mind. Brendan's behavior suddenly made sense. Why he was reluctant to tell her what they had argued over. Why he was finding it difficult to speak.

"Hey," She said quietly.

He looked over. "Hmm?" He replied softly.

"Was that why you didn't want to tell me?"

Confusion enveloped Brendan's face. But when he turned to May, he realized that she knew exactly what he was feeling. He looked down at her lap, then his hands, before returning her stare once again. N _o point in lying_. He thought. And so, Brendan told her the truth. "Yeah, May, I was afraid. Afraid that...you'd want to be with Steven over me. I was scared that I would...lose you, I guess, I don't know how to say it."

Again, a moment of silence passed.

But it was not at all silent inside May's mind. Her excitement turned into a tidal wave of shame and guilt that threatened to crash down on her as she realized how Brendan truly felt towards her. How...how could she feel so happy at his expense? How could she even consider anybody else? He was the one who was there whenever she needed him. They had been through so much together. He had even turned down another girl he was clearly attracted to, just to be with her. He was the greatest blessing in her life. So what if Steven had the face of an angel? Brendan was meant for her, not him.

She had to set this right. Brendan deserved to know she was committed to him, because he was committed only to her.

"Bren," she whispered.

"Yeah?"

May looked into his eyes. "How could you be so _stupid_?"

* * *

 **A/N: And, cut!  
I know, you guys anticipated an action scene between Brendan and Steven. And I did come into this chapter intending to do just that, but the more I wrote, I realized that I needed to expand more on May and Brendan's relationship before I continued onto the action, which is why this chapter was focused so heavily on their interaction.  
**

 **And, please let me know if you guys feel the chapters are too short. I usually write around 1.5K-2K words a chapter, but I've seen other successful fanfics at about 3K-5K words a chapter, and I want to know if I should do the same.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! See you guys in the next chapter.**

 **-airj**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Airj here. How will Brendan respond to May's...curious question? And, how will the battle between him and Steven wind up? Read on to find out!**

 **You know it, so do it, make sure you check out the prequel story _Nameless Grunt_ , by hopefullynotgone. Instructions on how to read it are in the first chapter. ****Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter V

 _How could you be so stupid?_

Brendan was confused as all hell. He had just admitted his biggest insecurity to her, and that's all she had to say? "Um, what?" He asked.

 _Okay, that was kinda rude. Let's try again._ May mused. She rested her head on his shoulder again. "Brendan, do you remember what I told you that morning, at the pond?"

Brendan opened his mouth to speak. But no words came out.

"You don't?" May sighed. _Guess I better jog his memory._ "When we walked to the place where you saw Latias?"

 _To the place where I saw…_ Immediately, memories rushed back into Brendan's head. He saw himself confessing to May that he couldn't stop thinking about her, and that he felt like nothing but a failure of a friend. Then he heard her calling him selfish for taking all the responsibility, all of the blame. He recalled May telling him her entire story. All of her deepest, darkest moments, laid bare for him to hear. And as they finally released all of the pent-up anger, sadness, and pain, they embraced each other in the pouring rain and sinking sand, finally acknowledging that they were so much more than just friends. Right before they kissed, May had said…

"Y-you said I was the best thing to ever happen to you." Brendan said, his voice impossibly soft.

But May heard him. She smiled warmly and wrapped her hands around his neck. "You still are, Brendan. You never judged me based on my past. You were there for me, whenever I needed you. Heck, we've kissed like four times already, and I know you turned down Winona for me. How could you _ever_ think that I'd ditch you for Steven?"

"I...May, I'm sorry…I..."

May put her finger on his lips, hushing him. But her eyes shone playfully. "It's okay." She replied, staring right into Brendan's auburn eyes. "Just know that I won't leave you, Bren. And don't you dare leave me."

As Brendan stared back at the sapphire-eyed angel sitting on his lap, he felt like the weight of a Wailord had just been lifted from his shoulders. "I wouldn't dream of it." He whispered. Then he hugged May protectively and leaned his head onto hers, closing his eyes and breathing in the scent of her shampoo. They cuddled together, relaxed, enjoying the moment.

Then, May remembered what they had been discussing in the first place. "So, Brendan," She began, breaking the silence. "Did you tell Steven about...you know,"

Brendan exhaled, scratching his head. "Yeah, I did. He...wasn't exactly too happy. Actually, he was pretty mad. He said he didn't understand why you'd want to be with an incompetent trainer like me. Then, he said he shouldn't be seen with a convict like you anyways."

May widened her eyes in surprise. She sat up straight. "Did he seriously say that? Why?!" She exclaimed.

"I don't know." Brendan shrugged. He felt frustration rising within him as he remembered the conversation he had with Steven. "Maybe he's jealous. Maybe he just doesn't like not getting what he wants. I don't care, all I know is that I'm tired of his attitude towards me. That's why I challenged him to a battle. I told him to put his money where his mouth is. We've worked together in the past, but I need to settle this. I'm sick of Steven acting so callous, acting like I'm inferior to him."

May nodded slowly in agreement, as anger and disbelief swelled inside her. _Convict_. May seethed at the word. She always saw Steven as a cool and accepting person, not like how Brendan had just described him. Apparently, Steven's apology back at the hospital was all BS. He saw her as nothing but a pretty face and still judged her based on something she had no control over.

Suddenly, something beneath May's legs started vibrating. She yelped and tumbled off of Brendan's lap.

"Oh, jeez!" Brendan said. "I'm sorry about that, May." He quickly reached into his pants pocket to pull out his buzzing Holo Caster. He pressed a button on it, and a blue hologram of Wally instantly popped up.

"Brendan!" Wally said. "Where have you been? I thought you said you and Steven were going to battle! I've been looking for you!"

"Oh, uh, I was just...out for some fresh air." Brendan said. "Why, is something urgent!"

"Yeah! There's a whole crowd gathered to see this!" Wally exclaimed. "Steven's already out there signing autographs. You gotta be here now!"

"Okay, okay!" Brendan replied hastily. "Just tell them I'll be there in like one minute. I need to get something."

"Alright" Wally responded. "By the way, have you seen May anywhere? Caroline and Norman said she went to the bathroom or something but hasn't been back for a while now."

"May? um..." Brendan looked discreetly to his side. May smiled sweetly, and moved herself right next to Brendan so that Wally could also see her.

"Hey Wally." May said. "What's up?"

"Oh! Hi there, May!" Wally said. "Your parents have been looking for you."

"Tell her not to worry, I was just spending some...quality time with Brendan." May replied happily. She lightly brushed her cheek on his, causing him to redden. Wally quickly looked away.

"Cool...ok, then." He said awkwardly. "You two enjoy yourselves. I guess I'll...catch you guys later. Bye!" The hologram disappeared, and Brendan slid the device back into his pocket. He looked at May strangely. "What'd you do that for?" He asked.

May tilted her head. "Do what?" She asked innocently.

Brendan shook his head, but smiled. "You know what, never mind." He said. "Alright May, I have to go get my stuff now. I'll meet you at the dining tables after the battle, okay?"

"Great." May replied. They embraced, but before Brendan could pull away, May punched him lightly on the chest and whispered: "You better kick his ass, got that?"

Brendan grinned "Right."

o - o - o - o - o

"So May, who you got?" Wally asked.

They stood on a big modern balcony with glossy wooden floors and decorative plants. Wally and Max leaned against the railing and May sat on a nearby couch, a glass of ice tea in her hand. The gym leaders and Elite 4 were also present, eating and talking amongst themselves. May could also hear the noise from the chattering guests below them. Once word had gotten out that Steven was going to be battling, everyone dropped whatever they were doing and immediately rushed outside. As far as May knew, only her mother and Abby had elected to stay indoors.

May smiled, leaned backwards and sipped her tea. "Obviously Brendan. Who else?" She replied casually.

"See? Told you so, Max." Wally said. "Brendan's taking this one. He's so much more powerful than when he was a year ago"

Max scoffed. "You're smoking some good Energy powder if you think Brendan has a chance. You know what, I bet Steven doesn't even have to use Metagross. His Aggron should be enough to take care of whatever Brendan has." He retorted indignantly.

Wally smiled and shook his head. "Max, stop fanboying. How could you be so sure Steven's going to win if you haven't seen Brendan fight in like a year now?"

"I'm the fanboy?! Look who's talking!" Max exclaimed. "How 'bout you call me 'fanboy' when Steven destroys Brendan in this fight, huh?!"

In response, Wally simply looked away. "Ah, kids these days. Always so uptight and sensitive. Why so serious?"

Max turned beet red. "You know what, Wally? Why don't you go f—"

"Max!" May snapped.

"He started it!"

May looked at Wally knowingly, and Wally sighed. "Fine, I'm sorry I called you a fanboy, Max. Here, I'll buy you a keychain from the gift shop when this is over, alright?"

Max sniffed. "Fine."

As the two of them quieted down, May rolled her eyes. _Thank Arceus. And I thought Brendan was immature._ She turned away to observe the field. Steven was stood perfectly still, looking relaxed and composed. Brendan, on the other hand, was repeatedly throwing his Pokeball into the air while jogging in place, as if he was trying to warm himself up for a race. Norman, who was acting as referee, raised his arms and start saying something to both trainers.

The battle was starting.

o - o - o - o - o

"Alright, gentlemen, ready?" Norman called out.

Both trainers nodded.

"Send out your Pokemon!"

"Metagross, prepare for battle!" Steven threw his Ultra Ball outwards, sending out his gold and silver Metagross in a flash of sparkling light. It landed on the ground heavily, and its robotic eyes wandered the field before zeroing in on Brendan. He tensed. Steven was not holding anything back. Brendan had battled this Pokemon before, and he knew exactly just how powerful it was.

 _Showtime._ Brendan clutched his own Pokeball. This was just a 1-on-1 exhibition match, yet somehow it felt much more significant than their battle for the title of Hoenn League Champion. He took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves. Then he pressed the button on his Pokeball, and it expanded in his hands.

"Salamence, I choose you!" Brendan shouted, hurling it high into the air. In a flash of white light, his massive dragon type appeared. It spread its blood-red crescent wings and roared menacingly at the sky, before settling on the ground, glaring at its opponent.

 _This is it!_ Brendan took a battle stance. _Time to show Steven just how much I've improved!_

o - o - o - o - o

May froze in terror. Her face grew white. The second she saw Salamence, horrible memories flashed before her eyes. She remembered how the dragon had spewed fire directly at her Glaceon. Then her leg ached, as she remembered how Salamence had tried to burn her skin off. And she shivered as the image of the dragon glaring at her appeared in her mind. Why the hell was he using that thing?

On the contrary, Wally was jubilant at the sight of the dragon. "Yeah, Salamence! Woohoo!" Wally shouted in excitement. pumping his fist into the air. Next to him, Max let out a scornful huff.

May stared at Wally in confusion. _What? Why is he so happy? Wait...does he not know? Did Brendan never tell him about his Salamence problem?_ She thought about telling Wally about it, but then decided against it, not wanting to ruin his good mood.

May glanced back at Brendan. His feet were set, his posture was straight. An aura of confidence seemed to envelop him. His face betrayed no weakness. As if he had prepared for this moment his whole life. A spark of hope flickered within May. Perhaps he had somehow learned how to control Salamence? After all, it had been a long time since she last saw the two of them together.

o - o - o - o - o

"Begin!" Norman yelled.

"Salamence, use Flamethrower!" Brendan called. The dragon roared, flapping its wings. But instead of opening its mouth to spew flames, it instead encased itself in a blue dragon-shaped aura and charged forward.

"Metagross, dodge and use Psychic!" Steven said.

Metagross sidestepped Salamence's attack. Then, its entire body glowed blue. A similar glow enveloped Salamence as well, and it found itself lifted into the air. Suddenly, Metagross made a rapid swiping motion, and Salamence slammed down hard into the ground.

"Salamence! What was that? I said use Flamethrower, not Dragon Rush! Fall back!" Brendan yelled. However, Salamence ignored Brendan completely. Again, it charged straight towards Metagross, and once again the robot easily avoided the attack.

Steven smiled. "Flash Cannon!" Metagross thrust out its arms and began to gather energy. It blasted a beam of light at Salamence, scoring a direct hit on its side. The dragon limped away and roared in pain, the side of its body smoking.

"Salamence! Try using Crunch!" Brendan said. But again, his Pokemon adamantly refused to listen to him. It readied another Dragon Rush and flew forward. This time, it connected with Metagross, forming a huge explosion upon impact. But when the dust cleared, Metagross stood there, completely unfazed by the attack.

"Use Psychic again!" Steven called. Metagross summoned its blue hue, and Salamence flew backwards until it landed a few meters in front of Brendan. It scrambled to its feet, but struggled to maintain its balance, snarling in pain.

 _If I don't do something soon, Salamence isn't going to last any longer!_ Brendan thought frantically. "Salamence, please, stop! We need to work as a team if we're going to win!" He pleaded.

"You're disappointing me, Brendan." Steven called out from across the field. "I told you you should've left that Pokemon with Drake. How can you expect to beat me when your Pokemon won't listen to a single thing you say?"

"Shut up, Steven!" Brendan shouted.

o - o - o - o - o

Up on the balcony, May turned away, as she could no longer bear to see Salamence getting beat around like a rag doll. _I knew this would happen. I just don't understand. Why would a Pokemon actively disobey its trainer?_ She wondered, painfully. Wally had his hands on his head, a look of shock on his face. Max, on the other hand, was grinned smugly with an "I-told-you-so" expression plastered on his face.

"What in Arceus is going on?!" Wally cried. "Why does Salamence keep using Dragon Rush?! It's getting completely dominated out there! What is Brendan doing?!"

"Ah, give it up Wally." Max replied condescendingly. "I told you so, Brendan's no match for Steven. Doesn't matter what Pokemon he uses. He'll still lose all the same."

Wally didn't respond, but May could see him clench his fists and shake with anger. She decided that now was the best time to tell him the truth about Brendan's Salamence. _"_ Wally...this is going to be difficult to believe." She started. "But...Brendan isn't in control of his Pokemon."

Instantly, both boys whirled around. "Huh? He isn't controlling it? What do you mean?" Wally asked, confused.

"I mean it doesn't listen to him. When I first met that Salamence, it tried to burn my skin off. Brendan ordered it to stop, but it wouldn't listen to a word he was saying. The...the only way he got it under control was by putting it back into its Pokeball." She explained softly.

Both boys' eyes widened.

"How is that possible?" Wally asked in disbelief. What kind of Pokemon doesn't listen to its trainer? Why would he use it if he knew he couldn't control it?"

"I'm sorry, Wally, but I don't know. It's apparently been like this for a while, even before I met Brendan. I have no idea why, he's never explained it to me." May replied softly.

Both boys turned away. Max was deep in thought, while Wally looked crestfallen. "Well, I-I guess the only option is for Brendan to forfeit. I mean, how's he supposed to win if his Pokemon won't even listen to him?"

May did not respond.

o - o - o - o - o

"Salamence, look at me!" Brendan shouted intensely. "Please! You need my help if you're going to beat that Metagross in a fight!" But still, his words fell on deaf ears. Salamence summoned the blue aura of Dragon Rush, and it again swooped forward in a futile attempt to damage the steel-type.

Steven shook his head in disappointment. "I expected more from you. Time to wrap this one up. Protect!"

As the dragon-type flew closer, Metagross created a protective green barrier around itself. Salamence slammed into it full-force and recoiled backwards, stunned from the impact. Steven's eyes gleamed. "Now, Metagross, Meteor Mash, full power!"

Metagross clapped its two front arms together and formed an aura of blue energy around them. Then, it rushed forward as hard as it could, slamming into Salamence's belly with the force of a tank, sending the dragon-type flying backwards like a rocket.

"No! Salamence!" Brendan yelled.

He rushed in front of his dragon and spread out his arms open to catch it mid-flight. However, Salamence flew into Brendan with so much momentum that it sent the trainer flying backwards as well. The two of them slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree. White-hot pain shot through Brendan as his body took the brunt of the impact. He felt his consciousness slowly slip away.

" _ **BRENDAN!**_ "

* * *

 **A/N: I love cliffhangers. I'm really sorry if y'all are getting sick of it. I'll try to tone them down.  
**

 **We finally started the showdown between Brendan and Steven! But it seems like Brendan just does not have what it takes to stand up to Steven. Can he turn the tables next time? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z!**

 **Once again thank you so much for reading! Make sure to review, as well as favorite+follow the story if you guys are enjoying this story. See you guys in the next chapter.  
**

 **-airj**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello, readers. I'm so sorry about my hiatus, again. I know I said I was going to keep writing, but I just...lost my passion for continuing. It's ironic. I wrote this fanfic to be a continuation to a discontinued story, yet I myself was close to discontinuing this continuation. (Try saying that 10 times). However, one day I stumbled upon a video creator's webpage. This creator, after abandoning his projects for a while due to depression, had finally come back to finish what he started. And it got me inspired, which is why I'm here after 7 months. I promise, I'll do my best to finish this story that hopefullynotgone/glassy glaceon started.  
**

 **With that said, let's get on with the story. Last time we left off, Brendan was losing badly to Steven. How will he turn the tables in his favor? Stay tuned! Like always, if you have not read the prequel to this fanfic, _Nameless Grunt_ , I strongly urge you to. It is essential to understand this story. Refer to the A/N in Chapter 1 to read it.  
**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter VI

 _Brendan laid his body on the grassy field, feeling exhausted from a long day of training. His Shelgon curled up next to him, chewing on his white hat._

" _Man, Shelgon," Brendan said in between breaths. "That was amazing. We just ran for 2 miles straight, beat those Ace Trainers, and you even learned a new move, Double-Edge." He patted Shelgon's smooth hide. "Great workout."_

 _Shelgon grunted in agreement, nuzzling Brendan's arm._

" _Oh, I almost forgot." Brendan said. He reached into his bag and pulled out a yellow, pear shaped berry. "Check this out, Shelgon, my dad grew some Sitrus Berries Try one."_

 _Shelgon quickly gulped up the berry. Brendan watched it eat, feeling satisfied. "How is it?"_

 _His Pokemon jumped up and down happily, and Brendan laughed. "Well, I see you like it. You keep working as hard as you did today, and you'll get as many as you want. Now, let's go home."_

 _Brendan took out Shelgon's Pokéball and recalled his Pokémon. He grabbed his bag and began to walk in the direction of his house._

" _ **Brendan."**_ _A voice called._

 _Brendan turned around, but he saw nobody. He continued to walk, dismissing it as his imagination._

" _ **BRENDAN."**_ _The voice called again. It sounded much more insistent. Brendan looked behind him, feeling confused. "Who's there?" He asked._

" _ **BRENDAN, WAKE UP!"**_

With a start, Brendan opened his eyes. His head was throbbing, his body sore, and he had double vision. He blinked rapidly, and his eyesight returned to normal. Brendan looked down at himself. He was lying on the ground, and his suit jacket had dirt and twigs on it. His hands were red. Brendan then made an effort to move his head upwards, and found himself staring into two sapphire eyes. An arm held him by the neck, with another wrapped around his stomach.

"May." Brendan rasped out. "What...happened?"

"Shhh" May whispered, putting her finger on his lips. "You're hurt. Don't move. It'll be fine."

"Brendan." A male voice said. Brendan tilted his head to see his parents kneeling besides him, his father propping up his head. "We're going to get you some help, son. Are you alright?"

Brendan nodded weakly, still feeling disoriented. He could see Wally, Max, Norman, and Caroline looking down on him with concern. Then he noticed Steven staring down at him, an expression of regret on his face. He laid back down on his father's hands, closing his eyes, trying to relax.

"Steven," Birch said. "I think he's had enough. We'll call it off."

Steven nodded. "Agreed. I'll arrange for somebody to take him to the nearest Pokécenter. But first, we need him to recall that Salamence."

 _Salamence…_

Suddenly, it all came rushing back. Brendan's mind shook off the haziness as he struggled to remember. He recalled what had happened. He and Steven were having a battle. Metagross had used Meteor Mash, sending his Salamence hurtling like a meteor. Brendan had tried to save his Pokémon, but failed to catch her, and they had both slammed into that tree full-force. Where was...?

"Salamence." Brendan said. He shook off his disoriented state and willed his aching body to move. His voice began to rise. "Where is Salamence? What happened to her? Is she alright?"

May and his father quickly moved to settle him down. "Brendan, calm down. Your Salamence is right over there. She's fine." Birch said softly, trying to console his son.

Brendan whirled his head around and saw her. Salamence was standing on all fours, about 10 feet away from everyone else. She had leaves on her face, scratches on her legs and a branch on her wing. She tilted her head and stared at Brendan, a curious expression on her face.

Brendan struggled to his feet, with May and his parents standing by ready to support him. Brendan stabilized his stance by placing his hand on the tree trunk. Then, he stumbled towards his dragon, but before he could move any closer, two hands stopped him. Brendan turned to see his mother and May. "What are you doing?" May asked.

He took a deep breath. "I...I'm going to go talk to Salamence."

May's eyes widened. "Are you insane? In this condition? What if she attacks you too?!" She exclaimed angrily.

"Honey, she's right." Abby said. "You're hurt. Right now, you need some rest."

"Mom, May, She won't. I know she won't." Brendan insisted. "I just need to understand...what's been going on between Salamence and I. I need to talk to her. Please, this is important."

"Then...we can do it together." May replied. "You don't have to-"

"No," Brendan interrupted, shaking his head. Gently, he pried May's hand off of his arm. "It has to be me. Only me." He directed his attention to everyone else. "Guys, give Salamence and I some space. I don't need help right now. I want to talk to her."

Confused at his abrupt decision, they glanced at each other. "Brendan, think about this." Birch asked. "Are you sure?"

Brendan met his father's gaze and nodded. "It has to be now. I can't keep pretending that this problem will just go away. You guys can stand by, in case anything goes wrong. But this is something I have to do."

Birch sighed, and signaled for everyone to give Brendan and Salamence some space. The group retreated, far away to be out of earshot, but close enough to still be able to see them. Finally alone, Brendan staggered towards his dragon. Salamence's gaze on him did not waver, but Brendan sensed no hostility in his dragon's eyes. Rather, he saw something he hadn't seen in her eyes ever since she had evolved from a Shelgon. Concern, and possibly regret.

Brendan sat down, placed his hand on her neck. "Salamence." He began.

The dragon growled softly. It looked away.

"Listen, Salamence." He said, with more force. Salamence turned her neck. "I want to understand. What's wrong? Why have we had so much trouble working together?"

The dragon's gaze flitted away again. Brendan continued. "Salamence, you're one of the strongest Pokemon in the region. One of the strongest Pokemon I've ever had. But you saw how easily Metagross beat you in that battle. And it's not because it was more powerful than you, but because it listened to Steven. You and I both saw that. Together, they were unstoppable. We didn't stand a chance."

He rubbed Salamence's neck and scratched her fins. His Pokemon let out a relaxed hum and rested her large head on his lap.

"Salamence, look at me." Brendan said. The dragon turned.

"I want us to be friends again. You know I'll do anything for you. I'm sorry if there's anything I ever did to make you feel disrespected." Brendan said softly. "Please, listen to me. Let me help you. Together we can become the strongest trainer and Pokemon in Hoenn. Stronger than even Steven."

For a moment, both trainer and Pokemon stood still and silent.

Suddenly, Salamence lifted its head. Brendan watched as it stood up and walked a few paces away, before it turned back to gaze at him. Both trainer and Pokemon looked at each other, a fiery determination blazing within the dragon's eyes.

Brendan grinned, feeling something he had not felt since Shelgon evolved.

o - o - o - o - o

"There! He's back!" Wally called out. Everyone turned to see Brendan walking towards them. They rushed towards him, Brendan's parents and May in the lead. "Well, Brendan, how did it go?" Birch asked.

In response, Brendan looked up towards the sky and smiled. "It worked." He said simply. The group stared at each other, puzzled. All except for his father, who smiled, and patted his son on the back. "Well then, I hope this means we won't have any more accidents, huh?"

Brendan nodded. Slowly, he moved his head, until his gaze found a certain individual. "Steven. Let's continue."

Surprised, Steven crossed his arms and frowned."What do you mean?"

"I want to keep battling." Brendan said.

For a few seconds, nobody spoke, as they looked at Brendan like he was crazy. His mother stepped forward. "Brendan, don't be silly." she said. "You're in no condition to battle. Come back. The two of you can do this another day."

"No, Mom." Brendan insisted. "I can walk straight and see clearly. I'm fine."

Abby glanced at Steven, who shrugged nonchalantly. "It's fine with me. If Brendan wants to keep going, then we'll do it."

She then looked at her husband for support, but he simply put his arm around her and said. "Honey, it'll be okay. Let him. He'll be okay. I understand why this is so important for Brendan."

"Mom, please." Brendan pleaded. "I'm telling you, I'm alright. If I feel anything's wrong, I promise I'll go back as soon as possible."

Abby looked at her son. For a few seconds, she did not speak. Then finally, she sighed in resignation. "Okay, Brendan, you can keep going. But before that, I want you to clean your suit, fix your hair, and bandage the cuts on your arms and legs, alright?"

Brendan nodded, and everyone began to head back into the building. As they walked, May tugged on his arm. Brendan fell behind the group so that he could walk at the same pace as her. "So, mind explaining to me what happened between you and Salamence?" May asked.

Brendan looked forward, and took some time before responding. "To be honest, I'm not sure. I talked to her. I tried to understand what was going on between her and I. It's hard to explain what happened."

"Well, do you know if it worked?" May asked.

"I...I think so. No, I know so. I know it worked." Brendan said.

"How can you be certain?"

Brendan stopped. They had reached the entrance. He put his arm around May's shoulders and held the door open for her. "You'll see, May. you'll see."

* * *

 **A/N: If you read the original continuation I wrote, you will know I glossed over the relationship between Brendan and Salamence way too quickly. Their interaction probably consisted of 3 lines of dialogue tops. It's something I regret, because the conflict between those two was a major event in _Nameless Grunt._ So this time, I decided to dedicate a whole chapter to fixing their relationship. It's inspired heavily by that episode of Pokemon where Ash manages to gain his Charizard's trust by showing that he cares for it. In this case, Brendan showed his love for his Pokemon by jumping in to try and save it. I know, it's kind of cliche.  
**

 **It's a shorter chapter than I usually write. First time doing this in a while, I decided to go slow.  
**

 **As always, thank you so much for reading, and if you want to, be sure to review. I value reviews a lot more than favorites/follows, because reviews can teach you about what you've done wrong.**

 **-airj**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hello Readers. I've delayed the true fight between Steven and Brendan long enough. No more. It's time for those two to settle it on the battlefield. Man, I wish I could've animated this somehow.  
**

 **As always, if you have not read the prequel to this story, called _Nameless Grunt_ , I strongly insist you do so. It is needed to understand the full story. Instructions on how to read it is in the Author's Note of the first chapter. With that said, let's get on with the chapter! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters, the franchise belongs to the Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company.**

* * *

Chapter VII

A wild Swellow circled the sky and cawed. The sun had set, casting a beautiful yellow haze across the darkening night sky. Brendan and Steven stood facing each other meters away, hands on their Pokeballs, like two gunslingers before a shootout. As Brendan faced his opponent, he felt no anxiety, trepidation, excitement, or any other intense emotions. He felt relaxed and calm, concentrating only on himself, his opponent, and the fight that was about to commence.

"Begin!" Norman shouted.

"Go, Salamence!" Brendan hurled his Pokeball, sending out his dragon in a red flash. Steven did the same, his shiny Metagross appearing in sparkling light.

"Now Salamence, use Flamethrower!" Brendan shouted.

The dragon's mouth glowed red-orange, and it released a powerful stream of fire right at Metagross. Brendan felt a sense of jubilation, as his Pokemon finally, _finally_ listened to his command.

"Psychic!" Steven ordered. The robot's eyes glowed blue, and it directed the flames upwards into the sky, where it fizzled out. "Now, Flash Cannon!" Metagross charged up an orb of light, and blasted an energy beam right at Salamence.

"Salamence, dodge, then use Crunch!" Brendan yelled. Rapidly his Pokemon flew upwards, avoiding the attack. Then it dove downwards at its opponent, baring its fangs which glowed dark purple.

"Metagross, protect!" Steven said. Quickly, Metagross formed a barrier of green light around itself. Salamence sank its teeth into the force field and rapidly flew backwards, snarling in frustration. "Now," Steven reached out with his arms. "Use Meteor Mash!"

Metagross tucked its arms in, and its body glowed blue. It rushed at Salamence full-force, attempting to finish the fight. But this time, Brendan and Salamence were prepared. He waved his hands back and clenched his fists. "Salamence, meet it with Dragon Rush!"

Salamence roared, as the purple aura of a dragon surrounded its body, and it charged at Metagross. The pseudo-legendaries slammed into each other repeatedly, each trying to overpower the other. Light flashed and lightning surrounded the two Pokemon. Then the two Pokemon clashed heads, forming a massive explosion that rocked the field, sending both Pokemon back. Metagross slid backwards, and Salamence tumbled across the field.

"Salamence!" Brendan exclaimed. "Are you alright?" In response, his Pokemon quickly got back on its feet and roared furiously. Brendan smiled. "That's exactly what I want to hear!"

Across the field, Steven smiled. "Well, this is entertaining, huh, Metagross?" His Pokemon hummed in approval.

o - o - o - o - o

A flurry of emotions flooded May. Relief, happiness, and pride, all mixed together, as she watched the fight from the balcony. She exhaled. Brendan was doing it. She had never thought anyone would be able to control that dragon. But finally, Salamence had accepted Brendan. May couldn't help smiling. She was also impressed by the sheer power of those two Pokemon, commanded expertly by the best trainers she had ever seen. May chuckled as she remembered how the incompetent Team Aqua grunts would battle with their own unimpressive Pokemon. Brendan and Steven could probably take on the entire organization without breaking a sweat.

Next to her, the gym leaders, Elite 4, and other VIP guests chatted excitedly. Many were filming with their phones; some had even brought popcorn and drinks out. Wally whooped with excitement, jumping up and down like an excited kid. "That was insane! Hey Max, you see that? Steven isn't winning so easily anymore. Still think Brendan can't win, huh?"

Max let out a scornful huff and turned away. "Hmph. He's getting in a few lucky blows, I'll give him that."

"Lucky?!" Wally exclaimed. "Max, you're just hating. Come on May, tell him!"

As Max and Wally began to argue some more, May rolled her eyes at their childishness and turned back to watch the battle. She stared intently at Brendan, as if trying to channel her energy at him, trying to will him into fighting at his absolute best.

The battle continued, as the sun began to dip further below the horizon, and the darkness of night slowly enveloped the sky.

o - o - o - o - o

"Crunch!" Brendan shouted.

"Metagross, dodge it!" Steven responded. Rapidly, Metagross sidestepped the charging dragon. "Now, use Psychic!"

"Oh no you don't." Brendan said. "Salamence, Hyper Voice!"

"HrrraaaAAAAGH!" Salamence screamed, letting out a sonic cry directed at Metagross. The sound was so intense that the robot lost concentration. Its aura faded and it recoiled, stunned from the sound.

Brendan's eyes gleamed. "Now, Salamence, Flamethrower, full power!"

With as much power as it could, Salamence blasted an orange inferno right at its opponent, hitting the robot directly in its face. Metagross was engulfed in flames and it hummed loudly in pain. When the fires cleared, Metagross crouched, visibly injured from the attack. Brendan's confidence soared. He felt excitement course through his body. For the first time in this fight, he had the advantage. "Salamence, amazing!" He yelled. "I knew it! I knew you had it in you!" His dragon roared in agreement.

Across the field, Steven was feeling the opposite. His own assurance was beginning to fade. For the first time in a while, he was on the backfoot. "Metagross, are you alright?" He asked.

In response, his Pokemon shuddered, shaking off dust and dirt, before stabilizing itself on its four robotic legs. It's eyes glowed, and it hummed steadily. It was injured, but was far from fainting. Steven smiled. "You never let me down, partner. But these two are tougher than I anticipated. What do you say we show them why we're the champions?" He reached into his suit pocket and took out a small, rainbow colored orb.

"Brendan!" Steven called.

Brendan stared back at him. Then slowly, his eyes flitted to the object Steven was holding in his hand. And when he realized what it was, his eyes widened. Steven was holding a stickpin. And it in...his Mega Key Stone.

"I'll admit, you've impressed me." Steven said. "But you're far from seeing what Metagross and I can truly do. Now, I'm going to test you to the absolute limit." He grabbed his Key Stone. "Metagross, go beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!" He shouted.

Tendrils of yellow energy sprang from the Key Stone, reacting with the Metagrossite in Metagross's arms, Its body began to glow yellow and orange, as bright as the sun. Four smaller arms sprang from the back of its body, while four huge arms grew out of the front and a spike jutted out from its chin. The cross on its face also got more narrow and sharp. It seemed to have grown twice in size. As the glow slowly faded, Metagross clanged its four front arms together, and the Mega Evolution symbol flashed in a glow of rainbow.

Brendan's mouth was gaping before he even realized he had opened it. All of a sudden, he did not feel so confident anymore. The sheer presence of the Mega Pokemon in front of him was so imposing, he found it hard to speak. Even Salamence felt it. It growled softly and slowly crawled backwards, like a cornered animal.

Steven walked up to the Mega Pokemon and patted one of its arms proudly. "Impressive, is it not?" He asked.

"M...Mega Evolution." Brendan stammered. "It's incredible...I've never seen one before. That...that's not—"

"Fair?" Steven asked.

Brendan nodded slowly. It was hard. It hurt his pride to do so. But as he stared at the war machine levitating in front of Steven, it was like gazing upon at a Legendary Pokemon. He didn't know how he was supposed to take on that thing.

Steven sighed, shaking his head. "Did you already forget? I gave you a Key Stone and Mega Stone back on Mount Pyre, didn't I? Use it!"

 _What is he…_

Suddenly, Brendan remembered his experiences on Mt. Pyre. He rummaged through his bag rapidly, until he found the Mega bracelet and the Salamencite Steven had gifted him. He held them tenderly in his hands, watching as they gleamed in the light. His Salamence turned its head backwards and stared at the orbs, drawn to their presence.

"There we go." Steven called. "There's no triumph in winning against an opponent who's not using their full power. So go on, Brendan. Mega Evolve your Salamence. Show me just how strong the bond is between the two of you."

Brendan stared at the orbs in his hands. He gripped them tightly, feeling a sense of finality. This was it.

It was time to go further beyond, to test the limit of how powerful he and Salamence could truly be.

He slipped on the Mega Bracelet, feeling the cold metal on his wrist. He threw the Salamencite at his dragon, who caught it in its mouth. Brendan took a deep breath. Then, he placed two fingers on his Key Stone. "Salamence, Mega Evolve!" He cried.

For a long, long second, nothing happened.

Then, yellow energy sprang from Brendan's wrist. He gasped in shock. They arced into the Salamencite, and Salamence's body became illuminated in a glow. Its body grew sleeker and longer, and the frills on its head grew sharper and more defined. Its wings molded together, forming a giant crescent shape. Then, as the glow began to fade, Brendan could see metal armor covering its belly and loosely strapped over its shoulders. The Mega evolution symbol shimmered in rainbow light, and disappeared. Mega Salamence roared in triumph, its cry sounding more powerful than it ever had.

Brendan stared at his Pokemon. He breathed heavily. A wide smile crossed his face, before he even registered his facial muscles moving. The feeling he had seeing Mega Metagross for the first time was nothing compared to what he felt right now. This was everything beyond his wildest dreams. Everything he and Salamence had worked for, the training, the battles, every bump and obstacle in their journey, had led up to this moment. This Mega Evolution. He had never felt more pride and joy for his Pokemon than he did now.

Steven clapped his hands. "Well done. Truly beautiful."

o - o - o - o - o

Wally and Max had long stopped their squabbling. It was quiet up on the balcony, as everyone had directed all of their attention on the intensifying fight.

"Mega Evolution." Max said breathily. "Only trainers with the strongest bonds with their Pokemon can achieve this. It's so amazing. I...I think I'm going to cry."

May laughed lightly, and patted her brother on the back. She too, was awestruck. She had never imagined in her life that she would witness anything as majestic as Mega Evolution. And here she was, bearing witness.

"Hey May," Wally whispered from next to her. "Wanna know something cool?"

"Hmm?"

"Remember that Torchic we hatched back at the lab?" Wally asked.

May smiled, feeling warm as she remembered the adorable chick. "Of course! What about it?"

"Well, I remember I was reading this research book," Wally started. "I may be wrong, but that Torchic's final evolution, Blaziken, is also capable of Mega Evolution! Crazy, right?"

May's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Wally replied. "I saw a drawing of it. If I recall correctly, it looks like this bipedal, hawk-like Pokemon with black and red stripes, and jets of fire coming out of its wrists. It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen!"

"Wow…" was all May could say. But thoughts swirled in her mind. She envisioned herself and Torchic training together, battling other trainers, going through triumphs and struggles, until one day, they reached the level of Mega Evolution. Could she actually do it? Could her and Torchic reach the same level of power as Brendan and Steven?

May shook her head. That was just wistful thinking.

o - o - o - o - o

Brendan walked forward, approaching the magnificent beast. Slowly, he put his hand out, and rested it on his dragon's broad neck. "Salamence...you did it. We've reached this level together. You have no idea how proud I am of you."

Salamence growled softly in response, moving its neck to nuzzle Brendan's head. He smiled, and moved his hands to stroke Salamence's new frills. "Hey, Norman." He called. "What do you think?"

"What do I think? I think I'm lucky to be still standing, that's what!" He laughed loudly. "All jokes aside, you and Steven are truly incredible. My son is going to have to go a long way if he wants to surpass you, Brendan"

"Thanks, Norman." Brendan replied.

"Oh, no, thank you. Thank both of you." Norman said. "I was worried I would bore my guests out. But you two have put on a show that's more than anything I could've imagined. Now everyone's going to want to come to my parties."

"You couldn't be more right about that." Steven said. He then fixed his gaze on Brendan. "Alright, Brendan. The real fight starts now. Ready?"

Brendan met his gaze. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. He had never felt so excited. Not even when his father gave him his first Pokemon. He stepped back from his dragon. "Of course I am. Let's do this!"

Once again, both trainers readied for battle. They assumed their battle stances, and Brendan made the first move. "Salamence, use Flamethrower!"

"Metagross, Flash Cannon!" Steven responded. Flames and light collided, resulting in a beam struggle that formed a massive explosion.

"Meteor Mash!" Steven called. Through the smoke, Metagross rocketed towards Salamence, scoring a direct hit on the dragon's side and knocking it back a few meters.

"Use Crunch, and follow up with Hyper Voice!" Brendan yelled, and his Pokemon swooped towards its opponent, sinking its dark fangs into its head and using the power of its neck to fling it away. Then it let out a sonic scream, and sent Metagross flying through a nearby boulder.

"Psychic, now!" Steven shouted. Metagross concentrated, and its eyes glowed. It slammed Salamence hard from the air into the ground. The dragon yowled in pain.

"Flamethrower again!" Brendan called out, as Salamence once again shot out a wave of fire.

"Protect!" Steven ordered. Metagross formed a barrier to block the flames.

"Let's finish this!" Brendan and Steven yelled in unison. The two trainers tensed up. Their eyes shone. Both could feel that the battle was nearing its climax.

"Meteor Mash, full power!" Steven ordered. Metagross thrust out its four arms, summoning an aura around its body. It began to spin like a torpedo, and charged with all of its remaining power at Salamence.

"Salamence!" Brendan shouted at the top of his lungs. "You can do this! Dragon Rush!"

Salamence roared in outrage, and summoned a large, purple draconic aura around its body. Mustering all of its remaining strength, it shot forward and met its opponent head-on. The clash between the pseudo-legendaries seemed to shake the planet. Their auras grew larger and more intense in color, until Brendan could barely see Salamence. Both Pokemon felt their strength rapidly fading, yet they refused to yield to the other. Brendan could hear his dragon roaring in pain. Purple and blue light, as bright as the sun, covered the battlefield, and a gigantic explosion of power formed. Steven stared calmly into the chaos, while Brendan covered up his face with his suit sleeve.

Slowly, the smoke cleared.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter was just pure action. Not much character interaction, just fighting, between two of the most badass Hoenn Pokemon that aren't legendaries. (RIP Mega Evolution, you are 1000x superior to Dynamax)** **I had a lot of fun writing this one, and I hope you guys had a lot of fun reading it as well.  
**

 **I haven't done this in my previous chapters, but I'll start doing it now. Major shoutout to hopefullynotgone/glassy glaceon, if you ever come across this fanfic I hope you enjoy it. I reread _Nameless Grunt_ for the first time in about a year, just to refresh my memory, and this author goes from 776 words in Chapter 1 to 13,000+ words in Chapter 20. That's wild.  
**

 **As always, be sure to review. It really helps, more so than favorites/follows because I get to read what you guys think of the story. And also, I hope all of you will stay safe and protected during this coronavirus pandemic. We'll get through these trying times.**

 **-airj999**


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